It's no secret that we're big believers in the power of a side hustle. Whether you're just trying to balance a hobby with your full time job or you're taking your business full time, we've covered the ins and outs of a successful side hustle.
As e-commerce platforms have become more user-friendly and more customers are shopping online, a huge market has grown for start-ups to fill. Whether you're a photographer, a crafter, or a graphic designer, there are customers waiting for you to open shop!
Squarespace and WordPress are both popular favorites to build and host any type of website. Each website offers an e-commerce plugin feature to allow users to add an online store to their website. Both are ideal options if you already have a personal website, or if you want your shop to live within a new website launch — rather than on a separate platform. Click here to read our guide to starting a shop in Squarespace.
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows users to build out their own online store. There are a few different monthly plans, each offering a different set of design and technological benefits. Shopify is a great option if you want an easy turn-key store design, but you won't benefit from the same organic traffic as other platforms, like Etsy, that offers product search pages.
Etsy is a favorite destination, for sellers and customers, for unique handmade and vintage products. Whether you're a crafter, a calligrapher, or an antique enthusiast, Etsy is a fabulous platform to utilize to attract customers. The cost to list a product is just $0.20, and sellers have a built-in network of loyal Etsy shoppers.
Instagram is a really easy way to sell online, especially if you already have a community of followers that you're regularly engaged with. Shop owners like Bloom Designer Finds simply post images and descriptions of products to their Instagram feed and interested buyers simply comment to buy and then pay through Paypal. Browse the #shopmycloset hashtag for some inspiration.
Even if you opt for one of the free platforms to sell your products, you'll still have an upfront investment to launch your shop. If you opt for Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress, determine what your initial investment will be taking into account a domain name, email set-up, and any e-commerce plugins you may have a one-time fee for.
In addition to your online home base, you also may have some pre-launch investments in marketing and branding. If you envision a professional logo or branded images, be sure to budget for that development as well!
After you open your shop, there will be additional costs that will be ongoing; some fixed and some variable. A simple Excel spreadsheet of all costs is an easy way to make sure that you're pricing your products to make a profit.
Things like hosting for your own website or monthly fees to Shopify will be predictable each month, but you'll also have variable material and shipping costs with each sale. Before publishing an item, make sure that you're charging a price that will cover all of the variable costs. A typical retail mark up is at least 30% over cost.
The analytical piece doesn't end when your shop goes live! No matter what selling platform you choose, there is so much data available to analyze your performance.
Every week, dive into your top selling products. Are there similarities? Are customers gravitating to a certain type of product or price point? Use these facts and figures to help you create new products that you know will resonate with customers.
Visitor data is also a great way to pinpoint ways to better your shop. By using a basic conversion rate (the number of sales divided by the number of page views), you'll quickly be able to see what product pages are grabbing potential customers' attention and prompting them to buy!
Great product photography is the easiest way to boost your conversion rate and attract new customers. Whether you're selling handmade scarves or digital photography, there are dozens of clever ways to make your product pages look ultra professional. Etsy also has a full guide to best practices based on successful shops.
If you're selling any kind of art print, product mock-up templates are an easy way to streamline your product images and have a consistent look and feel. Creative Market offers thousands of different templates that are easy to drop your own products into.
If you're more of a DIY girl and have physical product to photograph, simple poster board or marble contact paper can transform any shot into a professional looking backdrop. Throw in a few pretty props to give customers a vision into the look, vibe, and size of your item.
Reaching customers through social media is one of the best ways to engage and attract new buyers. Most platforms allow you to run discount specials, clearance, and offer coupon codes easily, but it's up to you to get the word out!
In addition to Creative Market mentioned above, Canva also offers hundreds of premade social media graphics — many of them for free! Just type in your shop name and your promotion and you'll have a beautiful, high resolution graphic to share across your social media pages.
Have you ever sold online? What are your favorite resources?
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Queensland's opposition has accused the Labor government of a cover-up after it withheld a full report into the death of Sunshine Coast toddler Mason Jet Lee for at least another year.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced the report into Mason's June 2016 death would only be released publicly after charges against his mother and her former partner had been dealt with.
It came as Queensland Family and Child Commissioner Cheryl Vardon handed down her report into the "post-death" reaction to the 22-month-old's death, which recommended an overhaul of the way such cases are reviewed by government departments.
In an unprecedented move, the government sought the advice of Director of Public Prosecutions Michael Byrne QC who advised cabinet not to release the more comprehensive Child Death Case Review Panel's report.
Mr Byrne told cabinet if the contents of the report were made public, it could prejudice the manslaughter and child cruelty trials of Mason's mother Anne Maree Lee, stepfather William O'Sullivan and teenager Ryan Robert Hodson.
Ms Palaszczuk defended cabinet's decision and promised to release the panel's report once the court cases were finalised.
"I will make no comment that will jeopardise justice for Mason. The community wants justice, I want justice," the premier said.
But the Liberal National Party took aim, with child safety spokesperson Ros Bates alleging a cover-up which "stinks to high heaven".
"The premier announced last year that she would release all of the findings into Mason Jet Lee's death. What we see now is a report that tells you nothing," Ms Bates said.
While not making specific comment about any pre-death findings, Ms Vardon said she was "concerned and upset" by what had happened to Mason.
'In the lead-up to his death he had many eyes on him, but no one truly saw him, or did enough to protect him," she said.
The government announced it would implement several of Ms Vardon's recommendations, including $40.8 million over four years to provide more frontline staff to work with families, as well as better co-ordination of health and child protection systems.
Scott Morrison has laid out Australia's housing affordability problems, ranging from young people trying to raise a deposit to older people using their superannuation lump sum to pay off the mortgage.
The treasurer also used a pre-budget speech in Melbourne to discuss shortages in the rental and community housing markets.
He reiterated a national affordable housing agreement with the states wasn't working and "just shovelling money out the door" won't solve the problem.
"Obviously there's not a single national housing market and affordability is not impacting all Australians the same way or at the same time," he told an audience at an Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute address in Melbourne.
Housing affordability is expected to be a key plank of the May 9 federal budget.
Mr Morrison admits there's no single or easy solution and blamed previous governments for avoiding the issue.
"Failure to confront these issues in the past can be traced back to the problems we face today," he said.
Obstacles to housing supply had to be removed. These include planning delays and regulation, infrastructure and services, development costs, taxes and charges and access to sites, including government land.
He's also made clear the federal government won't be touching negative gearing, after describing it as a "structural component" of Australia's housing market.
"Disrupting negative gearing would not come without a cost, especially to renters, let alone the wider economic impacts," he said.
But Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the government was being "pig-headed" because Labor got in first with it plan to reform negative gearing tax concessions.
"They would rather play politics and stamp their foot than help young Australians get into their first home," he told reporters in Brisbane.
However, the Property Council of Australia agreed with the treasurer that it was better to use "a scalpel rather than a sledgehammer" to boost housing affordability.
"It's why we believe there is scope, as part of broader tax reform, to reduce the capital gains tax discount to 40 per cent (from 50 per cent) in the May budget," PCA chief of housing and policy Glenn Byres said in a statement.
Industry super fund Cbus CEO David Atkin said funds could play a role in investing to help improve the supply of affordable housing.
But said letting first home buyers dip into their retirement savings for a house deposit was not the answer and "should be ruled immediately".
Mr Morrison declined to comment on reports the government could provide incentives for older people to downsize to free up housing stock.
Marcus Leonard at tax consultants BDO said the stamp duty cost of changing residences was now so high it discouraged people from moving.
"While the best option would be to remove stamp duty completely from residential housing, the provision of stamp duty concessions for older persons when they downsize their houses may have some effect in providing some more supply to the system," he told AAP.
The Treasurer also indicated foreign investors who bought units but kept them empty and out of the market had not escaped his attention.
The prime minister Malcolm Turnbull on Saturday visited Kokoda and laid a wreath at the Bomana war cemetery outside Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, and there will be a ceremony held in Canberra in November.
Kokoda is considered Australia's most significant battle of the war in the Pacific, in which the Japanese were for the first time defeated on land.
Veteran George Palmer points to his figure in one of the most famous Kokoda campaign photographs by Damien Parer: of Australian soldiers trudging through the mud.
"I'm the second one, there, now of the six of us there are two still alive, myself and Arnold Forrester, who lives in Townsville," he said.
The 95-year-old veteran of the 39th Battalion is now fighting another battle, to preserve the memory of Kokoda, and is upset the official Australian commemoration will not be held in PNG.
"It's wrong, just wrong. You must never forget the sacrifices my mates made," he said.
Kokoda was fought between July and November 1942 on what was then Australian soil, the territory of Papua.
Historian Patrick Lindsay, the chair of the Kokoda Track Foundation (KTF), said he has been asking the government since last year about when the PNG commemoration would be held.
"I'm dismayed and disgusted," he said.
Kokoda tour operators say they have also been awaiting confirmation since last year and feel they will now have to take up the commemorative task.
"Yeah, it is disappointing," said Frank Taylor, who has been running tours to PNG for three decades and is head of the Kokoda Tour Operators Association (KOTA).
More than 600 Australians died in the Kokoda campaign and there were thousands more casualties in brutal jungle warfare and on the beachheads, including an untold number of Papua New Guineans.
More than 10,000 Japanese and hundreds of US soldiers were also killed.
The 75th anniversary is expected to be the last time the few surviving veterans will see a major commemoration.
"Seventy-five years ago Australia was unprepared to defend itself," the prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Saturday at the Bomana War Cemetery wreath-laying ceremony.
"All of our best soldiers, best trained soldiers were abroad. Militia men, reservists, were sent here to the Kokoda track.
The Governor General is expected in PNG for the only other Australian commemoration – on Anzac Day.
The Department of Veterans Affairs told SBS, "the Australian Government will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the New Guinea Campaign in World War Two with a national commemoration in Canberra on 2 November 2017, including a Last Post service at the Australian War Memorial".
"For the health and safety of the veterans, the Australian Government made the decision to not continue veterans' missions after the 70th anniversary.
"If we could do that, and we did for the 75th of Gallipoli, why aren't we doing it for Kokoda?" said Mr Lindsay.
PNG will mark Kododa on November 3, for the so-called "fuzzy wuzzy angels" who served alongside the veterans like George Palmer.
"The challenge for us as Liberals is to come to terms with the fact that it is no longer about convincing Australians to be on our side, but to convince Australians that we are on theirs.
Treasurer Scott Morrison hit the nail on the head in his speech to the Liberal Party's federal council in Sydney in June.
The overwhelming feeling in the electorate 12 months on from the federal election is "they just don't get it".
Labor's success is recognised in polls which give it a substantial lead over the coalition on who is "best trusted" to deliver on education, health, protecting jobs and making housing more affordable.
The jury is still out on the Gonski 2.0 schools funding package and the government's Medicare Guarantee Fund as effective political "resets" as well as the more recently embraced issue of power prices.
It's difficult to get voters' ears when the wage share of income has hit its lowest point in over 50 years, while the profit share has doubled.
It doesn't help the prime minister that Labor keeps reminding voters of his immense wealth and proximity to corporate bigwigs.
He puts this down to Turnbull's standing, credibility and trustworthiness – in other words, he looks and acts like a prime minister.
In contrast, Liberal research has found Shorten's leadership is a "net negative" for Labor, with voters seeing him and his party as weak on the key issues of budget management and soft on border protection.
Published polls show about a third of voters don't prefer either leader and are willing to switch their vote as elections come around.
Both major parties would do well to embrace the same theme: "We're on your side".
The whims of two unpredictable men created strategic headaches for the Turnbull government in the 12 months following its re-election.
Donald Trump's election as US President in late 2016 caught most of the world by surprise.
So unprepared was Malcolm Turnbull for that outcome, a scrambling prime minister sought out Australian golf legend Greg Norman – a close mate of Trump's – for the president-elect's mobile number.
A second phone chat, after Trump's inauguration in January, was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Turnbull sought assurances the new administration would honour a deal Canberra struck with the Obama administration to resettle refugees being held on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
The PM didn't find a receptive audience.
Trump reportedly berated Turnbull, labelling their conversation the "worst call" he'd had all day.
Later he used Twitter to take aim at a "dumb deal".
The strength of the Australia-US alliance eventually forced Trump's hand and he begrudgingly agreed to take up to 1200 refugees but only after "extreme vetting" processes.
In May, it was time to kiss-and-make-up as the two leaders attended an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea aboard US aircraft carrier Intrepid in New York.
But in June Turnbull was embarrassed after footage was leaked of him sending-up Trump at parliament's annual Mid-Winter Ball.
Trump's temperamental personality has not been the only thing Turnbull has had to dance around.
The US President pulled the pin on American involvement in the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership – a 12 country free trade deal – virtually killing it off, much to Turnbull's dismay.
Ditto Trump's decision to withdraw the US from the 197-nation Paris agreement on climate change action which aims to limit global warming to below two degrees, with an aspiration target of 1.5 degrees.
On the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons testing program and its loose cannon dictator Kim Jong-un, Trump and Turnbull are on the same page as they urge Beijing to wield some clout with Pyongyang.
Turnbull has also walked a tightrope when it comes to security links with the US and economic ties with China.
Notably, he's been keen to make the case for ongoing American leadership in the Asia-Pacific region to uphold the "international rules-based order" and regional security.
Counter-terrorism has been a constant focus following domestic incidents and attacks in Nice, Stockholm, Berlin, Normandy, London, Manchester, Kabul, Istanbul, Tehran, Jakarta and Baghdad.
There's also the threat posed by foreign fighters returning home from the Middle East, and Islamic State cells forming in some south-east Asian countries, notably the Philippines.
Australia increased its military contribution to the NATO-led coalition mission in Afghanistan, bringing total personnel to 300.
In the Middle East, 780 Australian military personnel continue to train Iraqi soldiers and conduct air strikes in Syria and Iraq, as coalition forces inch closer to taking IS strongholds Mosul and Raqqa.
In a few months, the government is set to release a new blueprint for Australian foreign policy.
If the past year is an indication, it could be a bit more "choose your own adventure" than business as usual.
Malcolm Turnbull has ramped up his rhetoric on national security and terrorism in the year since his re-election as prime minister – and he's had good reason to talk tough.
There's been a resurgence of attacks targeting the West, resulting in the death of four Australians.
A 12-year-old schoolgirl died in a bomb blast at a Baghdad ice-cream shop in May, the same week two young women were killed in the London Bridge attack.
A few days later a man was shot dead during a siege in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton – the fifth and latest incident on home soil since September 2014.
While the terror threat level hasn't changed in that time, Turnbull has been trying to prepare Australians for the worst.
He's made three statements to parliament on national security since the July 2 election – in September, November and the most recent in June.
Each has been calm, considered and comprehensive.
Turnbull has repeatedly warned of the growing threat in south-east Asia as networks of extremists galvanised and foreign fighters returned to the region.
He's also noted the trend in lone wolf attacks and those in crowded places – both of which were hard for authorities to thwart.
The conversation of late, though, has turned to espionage, foreign interference, cyber security and online extremism.
"Very consciously, the prime minister picks out an issue or two and says 'Here's what we're going to be doing about it'," terrorism expert Jacinta Carroll told AAP.
Turnbull, for example, announced the development of a national strategy for mass public gatherings following a review ordered soon after the election.
But Australians have been told little about its rollout and success.
"For whatever reason, it's not hitting the mark," Carroll said.
The prime minister's change in language, though, has been noticeable.
While it's far cry from the uninhibited commentary of his predecessor Tony Abbott, it has been getting stronger.
From describing Australian foreign fighters as, essentially, the enemy, to labelling terrorism "a corruption, a disease within Islam".
There's also been a shift in policy focus in recent months, with Turnbull using national security as a justification for controversial changes to citizenship laws.
Other counter-terrorism measures are also on their way, as a number of reviews are finalised and consideration is given to the coroner's report into the Lindt cafe siege.
The use of encryption by criminals and extremists is high on Turnbull's agenda in 2017, with the prime minister calling out to tech giants for help.
"The privacy of a terrorist can never be more important than public safety. Never," he told MPs in his June national security statement.
The Swede, without a top 10 finish on tour this season in 17 events, missed just two fairways as he carded seven birdies and two bogeys, including one at his closing hole, the par-three ninth.
Lingmerth said it was a happy homecoming.
Six players were bunched one shot back, including Australian Marc Leishman, Canadian Nick Taylor, South Korean Sung Kang and Americans Troy Merritt, Johnson Wagner and Daniel Summerhays, who holed out from 105 yards at the par-four 13th.
Another seven players were tied at three-under 67.
Lingmerth, showing signs of a return to form with four top-20 finishes since late April, started at the 10th and ran off three birdies in a row from 13, capping the string with an 18-foot birdie putt at the 15th.
The Swede knocked his approach inside four feet at 18 for another birdie and made the turn at four-under 31.
He added birdies at the first and fourth, where he rolled in a 20-footer from the fringe, before making bogey at the last after an errant tee shot at the par-three ninth.
Thirty-one players broke par but two of the top names in the field were not among them.
Rickie Fowler posted an even-par 70, while this season's three-time winner Justin Thomas suffered a nightmare round.
Thomas made five birdies but signed for a four-over-par 74, fuelled by a quadruple bogey nine at the par-five 10th.
Thomas pulled his tee shot left into heavy native scrub land beyond the thick rough. He failed twice to advance the ball and finally took a penalty stroke and dropped a ball, which he sent across the fairway into more trouble.
He was tied for 93rd, nine strokes off the pace.
The suspected Stockholm truck attacker had shown interest in extremist groups and had his permanent residency application rejected in June 2016, Swedish police said.
"We know that he showed interest for extremist organisations like IS. He was applying for a residence permit that was rejected in 2016," police chief Jonas Hysing told reporters.
Hysing added that two Swedes, one Briton and a Belgian were killed in the attack.
Stockholm district court judge Helga Hullman also told AFP that a second suspect has been formally placed under arrest in connection with the attack.
"I can confirm that a second person has been arrested," Hullman said.
It comes as thousands of people gathered in central Stockholm for a vigil against terrorism.
Shocked by Friday's attack that left four dead and 15 injured, Stockholmers mobilised on Facebook to organise a vigil at the Sergels Torg plaza near where the truck rammed into shoppers.
The main suspect, a 39-year-old Uzbek man, is in custody following the attack.
Sweden has been trying to get back on its feet after what authorities termed a terror attack, the motive for which was still unknown.
The method however was similar to previous attacks using vehicles in Nice, Berlin and London, all of them claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.
There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the Stockholm attack – the third in Europe in two weeks, coming on the heels of the car and knife assault outside London's parliament and the Saint Petersburg metro bombing.
Police have not named the suspected driver of the truck, whom they arrested on Friday evening, but authorities said he was known to Sweden's intelligence service for undisclosed reasons.
The man is suspected of speeding a stolen beer truck several hundred metres down the bustling pedestrian street Drottninggatan in the heart of Stockholm.
"There is nothing to indicate that we've got the wrong man. On the contrary, the suspicions have strengthened," Swedish police chief Dan Eliasson said Saturday.
He said police found a suspect device in the cab of the truck.
Six people were taken into custody for interrogation on between Saturday and Sunday in several areas across Stockholm, police said, without adding further details.
Ten people, including one child, are still in hospital. Four of them are in "serious condition", health authorities told AFP.
In neighbouring Norway on Sunday, police said they had destroyed a suspect "bomb-like" device in the capital Oslo and made one arrest.
Friday's attack in Stockholm deeply shocked the usually tranquil Scandinavian nation, which prides itself on its openness and tolerance.
All day Saturday, crowds milled behind the security fences blocking off the scene of the attack, laying flowers on the ground or poking them into the fence.
Several police cars parked near the scene were also covered in flowers by Swedes, who widely praised the emergency crews' speedy response to the attack.
"Maybe something good will come of this," Inger Morstedt, 75, told AFP, expressing hope that her fellow Swedes would become "even more open and welcoming".
"In some ways it's unreal," said 40-year-old Johan.
Flags flew at half-mast at public buildings across Stockholm on Saturday.
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who beefed up border controls on Friday after the attack, announced a national minute of silence to be held in honour of the victims on Monday at noon (1000 GMT).
"Today, all of Sweden is in mourning, but we're going to get through this together," he told reporters on Saturday after laying a bouquet outside the Ahlens department store.
King Carl XVI Gustaf, who returned to Stockholm on Saturday after cutting short a visit to Brazil, also addressed the nation outside the palace.
"The consideration people are showing each other shows the strength of our society," he said.
Friday's attack was the second terror attack in Stockholm.
In December 2010, a suicide bomber blew himself up, also on the Drottninggatan street, lightly injuring several passersby.
US warships, including the supercarrier USS Carl Vinson and several guided-missile destroyers, have been diverted from a planned visit to Australia to Korean waters to safeguard American interests from a "reckless, irresponsible and destabilising" North Korea.
The Third Fleet's forward-deployed strike group was in Singapore and scheduled to sail to Australia for training and port calls.
It also follows US President Donald Trump's decision on Thursday to fire 59 Tomahawk missiles into a Syrian airfield to "send a message" to Syria President Bashar Al-Assad after chemical weapons were used on citizens in Idlib province.
"Third Fleet ships operate forward with a purpose: to safeguard US interests in the Western Pacific," said Commander Dave Benham, spokesman for the US Pacific Command.
North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday into the East Sea just ahead of Mr Trump's meeting in Florida with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
North Korea's nuclear and missile programs were one of the top issues on the agenda, with China and its economic influence considered key to taming the North Korean dictator.
US Secretary Rex Tillerson said America's "policy of strategic patience has ended" with North Korea and "all options are on the table" while Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has condemned North Korea for its "total disregard" of global security.
The USS Carl Vinson-led strike group's presence in the region will likely escalate tensions.
"US Pacific Command ordered the Carl Vinson strike group north as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific," Commander Benham said.
Media quoted his colleagues as saying he was not "particularly religious" and that he "partied and drank".
Swedish dailies Expressen and Aftonbladet meanwhile named the man as Rakhmat Akilov and published his picture on Sunday.
Swedish police have only identified the suspect as a 39-year-old Uzbek national. He is accused of barrelling a stolen beer truck down a busy pedestrian street on Friday afternoon, mowing down shoppers before smashing into the facade of the Ahlens department store.
Four people were killed — two Swedes including an 11-year-old girl, a British man and a Belgian woman — and 15 others were injured.
The suspect was arrested Friday evening in Marsta, a suburb around 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Stockholm.
According to sources close to the investigation cited by various media, the suspect, bloodied from the crash and with shattered glass on his clothes, fled the scene and ran into the nearby T-centralen subway station, taking advantage of the panic to blend into the crowd.
At 2:55 pm (1255 GMT), video surveillance cameras caught him in the subway system.
He took an express train to Stockholm's Arlanda airport, leaving a bloody trail all the way from central Stockholm, reports said.
He then picked up a bus from the airport to Marsta. His odd behaviour at a petrol station convenience store raised sales clerks' attention, who alerted police.
Police arrested the man at the wheel of a white van, various media reported, and placed him under arrest on suspicion of a "terrorist crime (by committing) murder".
Expressen reported Sunday he had allegedly confessed to the crime, telling investigators he was "pleased with what he had done" and had "accomplished what he set out to do".
Investigators have meanwhile remained relatively tight-lipped about the suspect.
According to police, he applied for a permanent residency permit in 2014 but was rejected in 2016.
"In December 2016, he was informed by the Migration Agency that he had four weeks to leave the country. In February 2017, the case was handed over to the police to carry out the order, since the person had gone underground," a senior police official, Jonas Hysing, said.
The suspect had been wanted by police since February 27 after not responding to a deportation order.
Police said Sunday he was known to have "shown sympathies for extremist organisations" such as the Islamic State (IS) group.
According to Aftonbladet, Akilov had posted IS propaganda films on his Facebook account and "liked" an image of people covered in blood taken seconds after the Boston marathon bombings on April 15, 2013.
Expressen said several of his Facebook contacts were linked to the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
On Sunday police said they had found components in a bag in the truck that could be used to make a "dangerous device".
According to press reports, police at the weekend raided an apartment Akilov had been renting for a couple of months in Varberg, a working-class suburb of Stockholm.
A father-of-four, he lived alone in Sweden, while his family remained in Uzbekistan, and worked in construction.
"He came (to Sweden) to work so he could send money to his family," a female acquaintance, whose name was not disclosed, told Aftonbladet.
Another woman who lived at an address where Akilov was also registered told Aftonbladet that he didn't come across as radicalised.
Pierre Svensson, who said he employed the suspect through a contractor for several weeks on an asbestos removal project in Stockholm late last year, described him as a "reserved person".
"He didn't stick out. He did his job. You can't say he was very sociable, we just told him what to do and he did it. He didn't speak much Swedish," he told AFP.
After losing his job at the beginning of the year, he had spent his days "smoking and sleeping", according to a former colleague.
For the first time in AFL history Gold Coast have defeated Hawthorn, the Suns stunning the Hawks by 86 points at Metricon Stadium.
Both teams entered round three without a win for the season but superstar onballer Gary Ablett inspired his side to a 21.13 (139) 7.11 (53) victory – their largest-ever winning margin.
Suns coach Rodney Eade called for effort from his charges this week and it was delivered in this record-breaking performance.
Gold Coast flew out of the blocks with Ablett delivering to the attacking third and Jack Martin who got the Suns' first goal in 60 seconds.
Ablett, who was criticised for appearing disinterested in last week's thumping by Greater Western Sydney, kicked his first goal for the game in the third minute and claimed 36 touches for the match.
The two-time Brownlow Medallist was tagged by Will Langford and received plenty of attention from the rest of the Hawks throughout.
"I thought his performance was quite good, not to his normal excellent standard. I didn't think he kicked the ball exceptionally well," Eade said.
The Suns had three goals in the first five minutes.
David Swallow played dual roles: one part Ablett's bodyguard, one part midfielder.
The 2014 club champion offered fire and physicality at the contests too – something the Suns had been missing at the start of the 2017 season.
Brandon Matera made sure of the Suns' win in the second half, setting a new club record against the Hawks with six goals.
Former Sun Jaeger O'Meara had a chance to score against his former club early in the second quarter, triggering the unfamiliar sounds of boos from the 14,728 fans.
O'Meara, who has the record of most consecutive games for the Suns (44), was kept quiet by Jarrod Harbrow who returned from an ankle injury to give the Suns a calm head in defence.
The Suns' tall forwards struggled to make an impact on Hawthorn early on but hard running from Adam Saad out of defence and Aaron Hall in attack left the Hawks in the dust.
Co-captain Tom Lynch broke through in the third quarter kicking two goals and taking his overall tally as the club's highest goal scorer to 195.
"I think they won centre bounces 22-6 or something along those lines and clearances by about 22," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.
The last time Hawthorn had a 0-3 start to the season was 2005.
The Foreign Office in London confirmed that a British man, 41-year-old Chris Bevington who was a top executive at Sweden-based music streaming company Spotify, was among the dead in a Swedish terror attack on Friday.
Mr Bevington was a father who was described as "talented, compassionate and caring".
The Belgian foreign ministry also confirmed that a Belgian woman had been killed.
The other two victims were Swedish, one of whom was an 11-year-old girl who was on her way home when the attack happened, her relatives said.
The fourth victim was a Swedish woman, according to local media.
Nine people remain in hospital, four of them seriously injured, according to health authorities.
The attack occurred at 1pm on Friday when a stolen beer truck barrelled for several hundred metres down Drottninggatan, Stockholm's biggest pedestrian street, before slamming into the front of the Ahlens department store.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and horror as authorities quickly sealed off the area.
The attacker fled the scene, with police arresting a suspect later Friday night.
Authorities have yet to name the man suspected of carrying out the attack, but police said Sunday that he was known to have "shown interest for extremist organisations" such as the Islamic State group.
Swedish media on Sunday named the suspect as Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek construction worker and father-of-four who went underground to avoid being deported from Sweden.
He had also been refused residency in Sweden, having been warned in December 2016 that he had a month to leave the country.
By February this year, his case was handed over to police, police chief Jonas Hysing told reporters in Stockholm on Sunday.
A second suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, was arrested on Sunday. That person can be detained until Wednesday, at which point prosecutors would have to ask a court for permission to extend their detention.
The Stockholm attack followed a string of similar assaults in Europe using vehicles.
The deadliest came in France on the Bastille Day national holiday in July 2016 when a man rammed a truck into a crowd in the Mediterranean resort of Nice, killing 86 people.
Last month, Khalid Masood, a 52-year-old convert to Islam known to British security services, drove a car at high speed into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge before launching a knife attack on a policeman guarding the parliament building.
Five people were killed in the attack, while Masood was shot dead by police.
In 2010, another section of Drottninggatan was the scene of Sweden's only other terror attack, when a suicide bomber blew himself up, slightly injuring several others.
A bomb blast at a church north of Cairo killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens who had gathered for Palm Sunday mass, officials said.
Some 71 people were wounded in the blast, which struck at a Coptic Church in the Nile Delta City of Tanta, 120 kilometres north of Cairo, according to a health ministry toll.
Hours later there was another explosion near a church in Alexandria, according to Egyptian state media.
State television reported that there were "injuries" caused by the Alexandria explosion, which took place near Saint Mark's Church in the coastal city.
Egypt's Coptic church said Pope Tawadros II had attended Palm Sunday mass there.
Images broadcast of the Tanta explosion showed bloodstains smearing the whitewashed walls of the Coptic Church next to shredded wooden benches.
"The [Tanta] explosion took place in the front rows, near the altar, during the mass," General Tarek Atiya, the deputy to Egypt's interior minister in charge of relations with the media, told AFP.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for either blast.
Pope Francis is due to visit Cairo on April 28-29 to show solidarity with Egypt's Christian community.
In December, a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed 29 worshippers during Sunday mass in Cairo.
A spate of jihadist-linked attacks in Egypt's restive Sinai Peninsula, including the murder of a Copt in the city of El Arish whose house was also burned, have led some Coptic families to flee their homes.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid called Sunday's bombing "a failed attempt against our unity".
"Terrorism hits Egypt again, this time on Palm Sunday," he tweeted.
Prime Minister Sherif Ismail also condemned Sunday's apparent attack, stressing Egypt's determination to "eliminate terrorism".
The Cairo-based Al-Azhar, an influential Sunni Muslim authority, said Sunday's bombing aimed to "destabilise security and… the unity of Egyptians".
In October 2011, almost 30 people – mostly Coptic Christians – were killed after the army charged at a protest outside the state television building in Cairo to denounce the torching of a church in southern Egypt.
A few months earlier, the unclaimed bombing of a Coptic church killed more than 20 people in Egypt's second city of Alexandria on New Year's Day.
Pope Francis will visit the site of the December church attack next to Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral – the seat of Coptic Christian Pope Tawadros II.


Violent offences can begin with a simple assault- an intentional application of force without the consent of the recipient of the force. Depending on the harm that has been determined to be encountered by the victim of the alleged assault the charges can range substantially- from common assault, to assault causing bodily harm to aggravated assault. The sentencing provisions also range dramatically dependent on the section charged and in some cases the position the prosecutor takes. For example, a person charged with aggravated assault will face a straight indictable process- they have many options procedurally but also face harsh penalties and are exempt from some sentencing provisions that would be deemed as very favourable. Often charges can be downgraded upon a fruitful negotiation with a defence lawyer and a prosecutor- this can mean potential penalties are also lessened. Some of the largest penalties a person can face involve serious allegations of violence. The state will often utilize significant resources to investigate and prosecute these matters and the consequences of conviction can be overwhelming for the accused. The lawyers at Phillips Manucci have extensive experience with allegations of violence ranging from common assault to home invasions involving aggravated assault and confinement, robbery, and homicide. At Phillips Manucci our lawyers have argued cases successfully before Provincial courts and multi-day Court of Queen's Bench trials. There are various defences open to individuals that find themselves facing violent offence charges, and the lawyers at Phillips Manucci explore these with you in detail. These matters can have facts that range from a quick impulsive act involving 2 people to something that built up over a period of time involving many people and many sources of potential evidence to be explored and scrutinized to provide a dynamic assertive complete defence. There are times however when after an analysis of the case a person has decided that they want to resolve the matter with a guilty plea and a sentencing and a prepared, complete concise position must be articulated and argued to the sentencing Judge or Justice. Phillips Manucci is prepared to do that as well if we are so instructed. If you or someone you know has been accused of an offence involving violence and you require assertive dynamic representation, contact Phillips Manucci and allow us to work on your behalf.


Around the Corners: Watermelooza Etc.
1. Conversations - Our new interactive message series where you the listener get to choose the topic. We will have cards on Sunday for you to suggest topics.
2. Watermelooza - Every month we look for a way to give back to the community and this month we will be giving away cold refreshing watermelons.
3. Super Sunday - One combined "Super" followed by dinner on the grounds.
4. Guest speaker Dr. Al Janney - August 5th, he is an icon, and my hero.
5. Backpacks - we want to give a bunch of backpacks full of school supplies to kids at Four Corners.


It is an ever increasing challenge to find the right bits of know-how and the right people in the vast ocean of information. We see it as one of our primary challenges to provide sensible opportunities for networking among the leaders of the hotel, tourism & leisure sector. PKF hotelexperts organises dozens of events on all continents, year by year. In addition, we are active in the educational sector, with several of our team members teaching as professors or lecturers at various universities.
For hotel groups, investors, developers and industry partners, we offer targeted sponsorship and marketing opportunities. Please contact us for further information.


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Home / Sports / Winter Sports
Beijing 2022 preparations steal show at trade expo
By SUN XIAOCHEN | China Daily | Updated: 2021-09-07 08:53
Beijing 2022 mascots Bing Dwen Dwen and Shuey Rhon Rhon are among the attractions at the World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo, which concludes on Tuesday, at Shougang Industrial Park in the capital. XINHUA
International guests wowed as Games tipped to change winter sports landscape
With Beijing 2022 fast approaching, the international winter sports community has expressed increasing confidence of witnessing safe and successful Games, not to mention a thriving legacy beyond the closing ceremony.
That was the consensus among representatives of governing bodies, NGOs and commercial enterprises from around the world at the latest edition of the annual World Winter Sports (Beijing) Expo.
The six-day event, which closes on Tuesday, showcased the latest products, technologies and services from over 500 brands in the winter sports sector at west Beijing's Shougang Industrial Park.
With only five months to go before the Beijing Winter Olympics open on Feb 4, the host's preparations for the Games have featured prominently at this year's expo.
"What is clear already now is that all elements are in place for China to deliver a spectacular Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 that will change the landscape of winter sports forever," International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said in a video message at the expo's opening session on Friday.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the Tokyo Summer Games to be postponed for a year, Beijing 2022 organizers have refused to let logistical challenges undermine their promise of hosting the Winter Olympics in a streamlined, safe and excellent manner.
All the Games' 12 competition venues have been completed and tested across three zones-downtown Beijing, its northwest Yanqing district and co-host Zhangjiakou's Chongli district.
The remaining work on non-competition facilities is scheduled to be completed by October.
Beijing 2022 organizers are now busy finalizing details for hosting the final round of 10 test events, which will allow foreign athletes and technical delegates to participate, from October to December.
Benefiting from an IOC-initiated knowledge transfer program, Beijing 2022 organizers have been developing their own COVID-19 countermeasures, reflecting on the protocols adopted by their Japanese counterparts during the Tokyo Summer Games. Those measures are expected to be trialled during the forthcoming test events.
"I'm very happy to say that after a little more than a year and a half of a pandemic-ridden world, the project of Beijing 2022 is up and running, and it has completed all the expectations of all the people involved," IOC vice-president Juan Antonio Samaranch, also chair of the Beijing 2022 coordination commission, said in an online speech.
The first round of test events at snow sports venues in February and ice sports facilities in April, which only allowed access to domestic athletes due to the pandemic, proved to be a valuable learning experience, added Samaranch.
"We know it's not ideal. We all know. But we adapted," he said. "You guys in Beijing 2022 adapted to a very difficult situation, and you did very well.
"Those tests brought us information on the field of play, on security, timing and refereeing, scoring, COVID countermeasures, sport presentation, and venue readiness."
Those in attendance at the expo were equally impressed by China's push to popularize winter sports among 300 million people.
"I believe that the success of these Games will have great significance for the development of the ice and snow industry in China and the world at large," said Swedish businessman Johan Eliasch, the newly elected president of the International Ski Federation.
According to the General Administration of Sport of China, the country had built 803 ski resorts by the beginning of this year, up 41 percent from 2015 when Beijing won the right to host the 2022 Games.
The GASC estimates that will pave the way for the market value of winter sports to reach a national target of 1 trillion yuan ($155 billion) by 2025.
The lack of training expertise, resort management know-how and high-end manufacturing of winter sports gear in China's fast-growing market is opening up business opportunities that are exciting international investors and companies.
Gianpaolo Bruno, director of the Beijing Office of the Italian Trade Agency, believes Beijing 2022 will help Italian brands to enter the Chinese market like never before.
"It can promote the development of relative Italian industries, such as food, health, medical and safety equipment, and tourism," Bruno told Xinhua at the expo.
As the guest nation of honor at this year's expo, Italy demonstrated its rich experience in winter sports equipment production and event organization, which Bruno expects to benefit China's winter sports promotion.
Having hosted the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy will stage the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina.
The Italian Olympic Committee, the Italian Winter Sports Federation and the Italian Ice Sports Federation are actively cooperating in preparing for Beijing 2022, said Bruno.
Austria, a two-time Winter Olympics host, is also ready to offer assistance to China, according to Karl Stoss, the head of the Austrian Olympic Committee.
"Whenever you need a support, whenever you need a helping hand, Austria is always your friend," he said.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Linear Gas Fireplaces by Fireplace Xtrordinair have a sleek, contemporary look and a high output of heat. They are available in 3, 4 and 5 foot lengths with 15" glass height. The structure combines a row of dancing flames with built-in fans to distribute warmth. Equipped with under-lighting, the fireplace sets an atmosphere whether fuel is burning or not. Choose from four fireback options including black painted, black porcelain, ledgestone and stainless steel. The versatility of sizes and features combined with your choice of traditional gas log setting or contemporary fire glass make this fireplace a wonderful choice for any room size or architectural style.
Optional Driftwood or Driftwood and Stone Kit Fyre-Art.
Choose from Gas Log Settings or Contemporary Fireglass.
Fireglass in platinum, bronze and cobalt blue colors.


It seems that you're searching for the best 14-inch laptop backpack. You have found the right place to get some free yet important advice to choose the best. Our everyday need of electronic gadgets has made it important for us to take them where we go. You might be using a laptop for school, college or business.
Here we have curated a list of the top 10 best 14-inch laptop backpacks in 2017. These backpacks are both fashionable and durable. Nevertheless, keeping in mind the need to keep essential things along with your laptop we have selected only the best. Please consider this list as a friendly suggestion to benefit you for long.
You may be looking for a stylish and durable laptop backpack. This is a good option in the range of 14" laptop backpacks used for multiple purposes. Arrange your books, belongings and laptop in a simple and neat way. Easily arrange all your things into 3 main zip pockets, 1 front zip pocket, 2 inside pocket and 1 laptop pocket. The dimensions 17"× 13.4" × 5.9" offer the best fit for 14.5" laptop.
Made up of high-quality lightweight polyester material this backpack is best for everyday use as well as on long-distance trips. Superior quality outer material and heavy-duty zippers enhance this backpack. Along with all other features, this backpack is waterproof. Not to fear about the safety of your laptop the laptop pocket has a grey padded anti-shock plate that protects your laptop at a downfall.
You need a backpack with slim and sleek design and this one is just right for you. This backpack is divided into 2 main compartments, an open top and zip pocket. Also, there are 2 pen loops, 2 external elasticized mesh side pockets. Keep your 14" laptop safely in the roomy laptop pocket. This bag has a perfect dimension of 6.69" × 12.2" × 17.32" for keeping your laptop with other important things.
This backpack features an elegant and compact design. Outer material made up of nylon fabric keeps the backpack in good condition in spite of rough use. Lots of compartments help you to organize your belongings properly. The top handle is sturdy to give you the perfect grip. Airstripes back system shoulder straps give extra comfort and support in daily use.
Vaschy is known to deliver high-quality comfort rich backpacks. Made up of polyester material this backpack is an ultra-strong and heavy duty. Your 14" laptop will easily fit into the spacious 19.35 lt's capacity backpack. This backpack moves ahead of all the other 14 inch laptop backpacks due to its 16 extensive variants. The dimension of 16.9" × 11.8" × 5.9" is great for everyday use.
A look at the design and quality of this backpack reveals the extensive care taken to make it. Polyester is a light-weight, ultra-strong material that is heat resistant and suitable for outdoor use. The shoulder straps are designed ergonomically to snuggly fit your shoulders. Fully panel back panels add comfort and softness. Stop worry about your laptop as the cushioned pad protects your laptop from sudden falls.
Nowadays it has become usual to carry a laptop to school or college. While most of the 14 inch laptop backpacks have a decent look, girls need something that goes on with their style. Keeping this need in mind Tomtoc have designed nice, durable and spacious 14 inch laptop backpack.
Other than a laptop compartment, this backpack has a main compartment to keep your books and essential things. You can keep your wallet and credit cards in the inner mesh pocket guarded with chain.
Made up of premium grade polyester material, this backpack is splash proof and wear resistant. For extra comfort, the shoulder straps and back padding are made extra soft. Its casual design and multiple colour options count it best for everyday use as well as for the weekend trips.
An epitome of true craftsmanship, our list of 14 inch laptop backpacks should include this one. This vintage style backpack is made of PU leather. Keep your belongings safe in the double zippered main compartment that has a laptop sleeve. Also a mesh pocket, 2 open pockets and a pen pocket. Two exterior chain pockets provide easy access to your valuables like wallet, cards. Place your bottle in the insulate water bottle pocket to keep your bottle as warm or cool every time.
Keeping in mind the nature of girls, this bag is designed to be stylish and fashionable. Through special processing, this backpack is constructed to be durable and non-toxic. The shoulder straps and back panel is padded with thickened EPE material that relieves the burden. Special attention is provided on the stitching of shoulder straps so that they can bear the burden easily.
This is a stylish and functional backpack for business, travel and school. Like all the other 14-inch laptop backpacks in our range, this too has a dedicated laptop pocket that fits 14-inch laptops and 15 inch MacBooks. The outer zipper pocket and many compartments where you can keep your pen, mobile phone, credit cards, wallet etc.
Multiple pockets help you to organize your essential things both small and large. Quilted padding on the shoulder and back enhances the cushioning and comfort needed for regular use. Made from 100% PVC free material, this backpack is available in black, red and dark grey colours. Side zipper pockets provide quick access to keys and mobile phone. Keep your sunglasses safe in the scratch-resistant pocket.
Get a backpack, briefcase and messenger bag in just one bag. This is one of the most versatile 14 inch laptop backpacks. You can hide the shoulder strap and by attaching an extra strap get your bag converted into a briefcase or a messenger bag. Multiple compartments can comfortably accommodate your books, keys, phone cards, wallet etc. Get easy access to frequently required things from one front pocket. Keep your water bottle in any of the two side pockets.
Made up of high-quality nylon fabric, the outer material of the backpack is water repellent and tear resistant. Its dual access zipper provides long-time service. For easily pick up and move the top loop handle helps it well. An extra comfort is provided by the padded adjustable shoulder straps that help during long time use.
Get hold of this feature-rich backpack that has a separate laptop compartment protects your 14" laptop. With the USB extension outlet, you can charge your mobile without taking out the power bank out of the bag. To keep your valuables like mobile, wallet and credit cards the anti-theft pocket safe. To make it suitable for you the backpack is divided into 1 main compartment, 2 front compartments. Also, for safety, it has 1 back anti-theft compartment, 1 side hiding compartment and 1 separate laptop compartment.
Superior quality materials are used in manufacturing this backpack. The Cationic Oxford Fabric is water resistant, tear resistant and wear resistant. Pull the zip up and down tested some 30,000 times. Due to the reflective strip, your backpack ensures your safety warning vehicles coming from the back of your presence.
Walk out with this neat and professional laptop backpack. One of the most sought-after backpack in the range of 14 inch laptop backpacks is this. There are many few backpacks made up of leather and this one is just so.
Opening the main compartment will show you fully padded area including the bottom. It has cushioned 10.1-inch tablet pocket and a zipper inner pouch for small necessities. Keep your personal documents and wallet safe in the stash pocket. This backpack offers the best combination of sleek look and attractive features. Made up of durable leather with tweed-like PS fabric this backpack is waterproof.
To provide ultimate comfort and breathability, the shoulder straps and back is made up of comfortable air mesh. Heavy-duty zippers with metal finger grips ensure easy opening and closing of the backpack. A small rollup Velcro holds the excess strap making it comfortable for you to walk.
A very sleek and compact design put this backpack above all the others in this range. Keeping in mind frequent travels, this backpack is made of durable water-resistant canvas material. Padded dense foam protects your valuable things from shock. Although, having so much of compartments this bag does not look bulky.
Ergonomically curved shoulder straps to reduce load weight.
What should you look when you think of buying a 14-inch laptop backpack. The first thing that you should see is the safety a bag provides for your laptop. Most of the 14-inch laptop backpacks have a padded compartment for a laptop.
Since your laptop is a valuable thing you should check with the quality of padding used. Also, your laptop bag should be snug fit. When you have a perfect fit backpack that moves with your body you can be sure to travel with it, run with it or jump with it.
You also need to check the material used in making the backpack as it will affect its durability. It would surely not be a good idea to buy a laptop bag that wears out after some months. We want to you save you from all those regrets. So, you can make a wise decision and take any the quality 14-inch laptop backpacks mentioned on the list.


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"Overlapping crises: the impact of Covid-19 on refugee students in Lebanon", by Hussain Muhammad Jawad
Text by: Muhammad Jawad Hussain
Lebanon is a country with a population of 4.5 million and is home to a large number of refugees. Over two million Syrian refugees are now living in Lebanon, in addition to half a million of Palestinian refugees. More than 52% of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon are children, and UNHCR figures indicate that around 450,000 refugees in Lebanon are of school age. Covid-19 has made a bad situation worse.
This could also interest you
Creating Successful Schools in Migration Society, by Marguerite Lukes
The country with the highest number of refugees per 1,000 inhabitants
Most Syrian refugees in Lebanon do not live in refugee camps, as is the case in Jordan and Kurdistan, but have settled mainly in the northern and eastern parts of Lebanon (Tripoli and Beqaa), which are already poor and marginalised areas.
The recent UNHCR annual Global Trends Report stated that, as far as the refugees per 1,000 inhabitants ratio is concerned, Lebanon is still leading the way, with 232 refugees, followed by Jordan with 87. Adding to that, Lebanon has seen a new wave of Iraqi refugees fleeing ISIS, the defunding of Palestinian refugee schools in the country, and the worst economic turmoil since 1975.
The huge flux of refugees is weighing heavily on all aspects of life, especially the national and political tension between the refugees and the host communities.
A public education system struggling to cope
Lebanon has a weak public education system that is still suffering the consequences of the civil war in 1975 and the pro-privatisation trends imposed by successive governments and the International Financial Institutions.
The Syrian refugee crisis has significantly impacted an already debilitated public education system. The country is facing a serious teacher shortage and weak educational infrastructures. There are 1,396 public schools in total, 25,000 public school teachers, 18,000 primary and 7,000 secondary teachers, and 10,000 contractual primary teachers. Around 275,000 Lebanese students attend public schools.
Since child refugees in Lebanon do not live in camps, the provision of basic services and education is handled by the Ministry of Education, UNHCR and UNICEF, alongside other aid agencies.
There are around 450,000 Syrian refugees of school age in Lebanon. Out of the 1,396 public schools in the country, 1,014 schools receive around 137,000 Syrian refugee students. In addition, 144 schools are used to teach refugee students in afternoon shifts. Around 4,500 teachers from public schools teach the afternoon shifts and are paid an average of 10 US$ per hour, with no compensation for preparation or lesson planning.
The remaining number of school aged refugees, those not enrolled in the public-school system, receive informal education through international aid agencies active in the refugee settlement areas. Education unions have been voicing serious concerns regarding the qualifications of teachers recruited by aid agencies, an aspect that has been often overlooked in the recruitment process.
Education unions through the Union Coordination Committee composed of all Education International affiliates in Lebanon has warned the Ministry of Education on several occasions that students and teachers are facing an education crisis. Teachers and their unions were not involved or consulted in the process of securing and providing education for refugee children, despite being the ones in the field, striving to maintain the minimum levels of quality education for Syrian and Lebanese students. Education International affiliates have highlighted a number of barriers and challenges to learning, including differences between Lebanese and Syrian curriculums, classroom size, the different academic levels of students, language barriers, transportation costs for the refugees, bullying and limited psycho-social support for traumatised children, and the lack of trained teachers to teach children in crisis.
The impact of the refugee crisis has been a gendered one. Girls are more vulnerable and more disadvantaged, with the crisis significantly reducing their access to education. This is because girls are given caring responsibilities and many are forced into child labour and early marriage to help their families financially. They are also victims of gender-based violence.
Making a bad situation worse: The impact of the Covid-19 crisis
There is absolutely no doubt that the Covid-19 health crisis has adversely impacted the education of Syrian refugee children. As schools closed, the Minister of Education introduced distance learning in three tracks: television, online and paper based.
The Ministry decision was not clear on refugee education, especially for children attending afternoon shifts. To fill this void, education unions have stepped up their efforts to ensure that the digital gap is not keeping refugee students from learning. Thus, union members volunteered to prepare televised classes, support parents over the phone, and worked to provide assignments, guidance, and feedback to Syrian refugee children.
All these efforts have resulted in distance education being provided in half of the public schools teaching refugee children. Unfortunately, many refugee children did not have access to distance learning programmes due to the lack of support from the Ministry of Education and the lack of infrastructure. Moreover, many teachers working double shifts did not receive their salaries during the crisis.
Urgent action needed to prevent a lost generation
It is critical to emphasise that the complexity of the situation requires joint humanitarian-development approaches, collaborative implementation, proper funding, and adequate qualifications to provide quality inclusive education to refugee children. Ensuring high-quality primary, secondary and higher education in a safe learning environment for refugees will help to prevent a lost generation.
Going forward, we must work together to build a better learning environment for refugee students, to demonstrate our commitment to building a better future, and to reduce poverty and vulnerability among refugees.
Statement | World Refugee Day 2020
Lebanon: Union draws attention to the situation of refugees amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Education unions join international efforts to ensure refugees' rights in and through education
Germany-GEW
Education on the move: quality education for migrants and refugees
Portugal_FNE


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SchoolExecConnect
Boards and Superintendents
Completed Searches
Supt. Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96
September 6, 2021 by Kevin O'Mara
Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96
Position Available:
Superintendent, Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96
1050 Ivy Hall Lane, Buffalo Grove, Illinois 60089
Communities Served:
Comprising approximately 3,200 students and 500 certified and educational support personnel, Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 is an elementary school district covering about 20 square miles in southern Lake County, Illinois.
The District includes portions of Buffalo Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Long Grove, and Vernon Hills. Most District 96 students continue their education at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, ranked #150 in U.S. News Best High School 2020 national rankings and ranked #6 in U.S. News Best Illinois High Schools 2020.
Hold or be eligible for the Illinois Superintendent's License
Successful and significant administrative experience, Superintendent experience preferred
Associates Assisting the Board of Education:
Dr. Linda Yonke, 847-276-7263, linda.yonke@schoolexecconnect.com
Dr. Tim Shimp, 630-327-1765, tim.shimp@schoolexecconnect.com
Highlights/Recognitions/Programming:
KCSD 96 supports students in seven schools (four elementary schools, two middle schools, and the Willow Grove Early Learning Center).
Five District 96 schools have earned national Blue Ribbon recognition from the U.S. Department of Education.
In 2013, Twin Groves earned Blue Ribbon recognition for a second time, in 2016, Woodlawn Middle School was awarded a second Blue Ribbon, and in 2019, Ivy Hall was awarded a second Blue Ribbon.
Each of the four elementary schools has been awarded Blue Ribbon recognition status for its physical education program.
Five of the KCSD 96 schools have been recognized by the Chicago Sun Times (March 2009) in the Top 50 Suburban Public Schools list.
In October 2006, Ivy Hall, Kildeer Countryside, and Prairie Schools were recognized in Chicago magazine as among the Top 15 Public Schools in Lake County.
In Chicago Magazine's 2016 Best Public Schools issue, Country Meadows ranked #3 in the Lake County Top Ten Elementary Schools.
All elementary schools achieved Exemplary summative designation from ISBE
One middle school achieved Commendable summative designation and one middle school achieved Exemplary summative designation from ISBE
KCSD 96 students perform in the 98th percentile overall (math and reading) as compared to peers across Illinois.
75% of students in grades 3-8 meeting or exceeding on IAR ELA assessment
73% of students in grades 3-8 meeting or exceeding on IAR Mathematics assessment
83% of students in grades 3-8 meeting or exceeding on IAR Science assessment
In 2018, Woodlawn was recognized with the distinguished DuFour Award as the nation's exemplary Professional Learning Community, and KCSD 96 is the only district in the nation where all schools are recognized as International Professional Learning Community model schools.
KCSD 96 has received Financial Recognition status awarded by the Illinois State Board of Education for 14 consecutive years, and is also proud of the District's "Aaa" bond rating.
The diversity of the school community consists of over 56 languages represented.
KCSD 96 currently has over 50% of childhood and kindergarten students as dual language speakers.
KCSD 96 currently has a Two-Way Immersion Dual Language Program that started at the Kindergarten level in 2019-2020
All students in grades K – 8 are provided with an iPad.
Student Profile (2019-2020 School Report Card):
Demographics:
White: 48.7%
African American: 1.6%
Asian: 36.3%
American Indian: .1%
Pacific Islander: .1%
Two or More Races: 4.2%
Special Education Students: 10%
English Language Learners: 18.2%
Students Qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch: 5.4%
Attendance Rate: 97%
Staff Information:
Total All Employees: 520
Full-time Equivalent Certified: 305.6
Administrators: 25
Administrators with Master's Degree: 23
National Board Certified Teachers: 2
Teachers with Master's Degrees or higher: 206 = 67%
Average Years Teaching Experience: N/A
Average Teacher Salary: $70,164
Average Administrator Salary: $133,083
Financial Information (FY19)
FY19 Operational Expenditure per Student: $15,451
State Average Operational Expenditure per Student: $13,764
FY19Instructional Expenditure per Student: $9,049
State Average Instructional Expenditure per Student: $8,172
Total Budgeted Revenue:
Local Revenues: 90%
State Revenues: 9%
Federal Revenues: 1%
Total Budgeted Expenditures by Fund (or as otherwise categorized by the district) FY21 Budget:
Education: $49,451,177
Operations & Maintenance: $7,289,085
Transportation: $4,530,208
Budget (FY21):
FY21 Total Budget in revenue: $55,306,137
FY21 Total Budget in expenses: $61,360,470
FY21 Estimated Fund Balance: $69,480,671
Union Affiliation and Contract Status:
Kildeer Education Association (KEA) through FY2023
Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 Education Support Professionals Association through FY2026
Salary Offered:
Regionally Competitive
District Website:
https://www.kcsd96.org
Search Calendar: (The Board reserves the right to extend all dates)
Accepting Applications Through: October 31, 2021
Names of Selected Candidates Taken to the Board: November 16, 2021
Superintendent Named: By December 14, 2021
Superintendent Start: July 1, 2022
Apply for the position through this Website if you are interested in this position.
Please submit the required credentials through this Website.
Filed Under: Supt. Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96
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HomeBrave Indian women First indian woman commercial pilot - Ms. Prem Mathur
First indian woman commercial pilot - Ms. Prem Mathur
Navrang India September 27, 2016
India's first commercial pilot Prem Mathur. hindi.scoopwhoop.com
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Indian women, not withstanding many difficulties that they face in a tradition-bound society like India, time and now prove that their place is no longer home and hearth, and they can show their hidden talents in many fields that are dominated by men. They already started looking skyward and many Indian women are working as pilots in the commercial sector as well as in the Air force. In the last several decades, they have made a long leap, achieving success with hard work and indomitable spirit and no body could ever think of their sustained upward mobility in whatever field they are working with. Long ago there were not that many pilots in India, the reason being women were not encouraged to get in to that field, which was considered as male's domain. But, nowadays numerous Indian women work as pilots both in the private and public airline companies. Initially women were working in the cabin, taking care of the passenger's needs. Today they made a big jump from the cabin to the cockpit. It all started with one Ms. Prem Mathur whose continued efforts and passion made her become the first Indian woman commercial pilot in 1951, exactly 4 years after India's freedom from the British. Indeed a great feat in those years of conservatism and restricted movements for Indian women. Above in the Indian sky, woman in the cockpit was unthinkable in the 1940s and 1950s. Certainly in the area of commercial flying Ms. Mathur was a trailblazer.
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After receiving the pilot's flying license in 1947 from Allahabad Flying Club, her ambition was to join a commercial airliner as a pilot. Incidentally, she was first Indian woman to have received a commercial pilot's license in India. In the initial stages, the results were not encouraging, she kept receiving a barrage of regret letters from the commercial airline companies. The commercial airliners, it is said, did not want to take risk by employing women pilots. Their excuse was the passengers won't be comfortable sitting in the airliner with women in the cockpit. This kind of misconception was very much there and it was rooted in the fact that women won't as quickly respond to emergency situation as men would do. Simply speaking, women pilots were not good enough to handle a real emergency situation that might develop while flying as it was different from handling emergency situation in a simulated environment on the ground.
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As for Ms. Prem Mathur, that was not the end of the world. Now she became more serious about joining a commercial airliner at any cost and her positive approach coupled with sincere efforts, at last, paid off. Deccan Airways of Hyderabad at the interview asked her all kinds of questions about sophisticated electronic and mechanical control and being knowledgeable as she was, initially she was hired as a co-pilot in 1951. Earlier she won the air race in 1949 conducted by the Aero Club.
However, the company was reluctant to giver her full command of the cockpit even after fulfillment of the required hours of flying by her. While with Deccan, she had the opportunity to fly distinguished personalities like Lal Bahadur Shastry, Indira Gandhi, Lady Mountbatten etc. A disappointed Mathur left the job and later became a pilot of well-known industrialist G. D. Birla's private aircraft and was stationed in Delhi. After a short stint with Mr. Birla, she joined the joined Indian Airlines as a pilot in 1953, the National Domestic Airline came into operation with the amalgamation of many private airlines. On 2nd October 1953, Capt. Prem Mathur started flying as Co-pilot with Indian Airlines and India became the first country in the world to employ a woman as a pilot in their IATA Airline Ltd. Till retirement she had a distinguished carrier with the Indian Airlines.
As a courageous woman, she chased her dream and accomplished her passion.
Tit Bits:
01. Aban Pesthonjae Chenoy , who flew at the Hyderabad State Aero Club, Begumpet, was the first Hyderabadi woman pilot and also the first British Indian woman pilot-licence holder (1938).
02. In 1929 Sylla Petit, sister of J.R.D. Tata, was the first lady pilot, so was her younger sister Rodabeh Tata.
http://sgopujkar.tripod.com/id3.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prem_Mathur
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/highfliers-with-nerves-of-steel/article1221462.ece
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